This invention relates to a supply device for a snow gun.
This equipment is used under very particular and very severe conditions, notably from a climatic viewpoint.
An example of equipment is described in the document FR-2 573 854. This document gives the detail of a snow making plant and in particular a supply device for a high pressure-type snow gun.
To take maximum advantage of the climatic conditions, it is conventional to use several high pressure-type snow guns, each having different, but complementary characteristics in terms of flow rate.
In such a case, each snow gun comprises its own supply device, of the a type described in the document mentioned above.
This type of supply device is not adequate for snow guns or spray devices any longer, of the type described in the document FR-2 784 905 which require several distinct pressurised water supplies or for any other types of snow gun that operate without resorting to any special pressurised water supply system.
This invention suggests a supply device that enables to meet the new requirements of snow guns.
This supply device comprises at least a valve for circulating either pressurised water or pressurised air, which valve contains, in a single piece body, for example:
a through channel forming the fluid intake and also serving as a through passage for the said fluid,
a fluid outlet port, situated above the said channel,
a bleed orifice beneath the said channel,
a cylindrical bore arranged according to an axis perpendicular to that of the said channel, to accommodate a slide valve that is mobile under the effect of a driving member, which slide valve is provided to, in one case, put the channel in communication with the said outlet port, and to, in another case, put the said outlet port in communication with the said bleed orifice in order to bleed the fluid outlet system.
Still according to the invention, the supply device comprises at least one valve and in particular a valve whose body is arranged, at the level of both ends of the through channel, in an identical fashion, for accommodating and fixing either various accessories such as connectors, plugs or others, or other valve bodies.
This arrangement of the valve body thus enables to juxtapose, as required, several bodies forming a kind of compact cluster that is easier to install than a multitude of valves in shelters or others, on the border of skiing tracks for example.
According to another arrangement of the invention, the slide valve comprises a bleed channel consisting of an axial bore located at its lower section, which channel leads, via a conduit situated on the radial plane of the said slide valve, into the outlet port to perform the said bleeding, which channel is open or closed according to the position of the said slide valve by means of a plug extending axially from the lower end of the body, and that cooperates with the said bleed channel.
According to another arrangement of the invention, the slide valve is guided at its lower end into a socket forming a kind of jacket integral with the valve body, which socket comprises a punched bottom to enable the fluid to flow during the said bleeding, which bottom supports the closing plug of the bleed channel of the said slide valve.
Still according to the invention, the cylindrical bore of the body comprises, between the intake channel and the outlet conduit, a zone provided in the form of a mixer enabling, in co-operation with the section forming the plug of the slide valve, to vary the through opening of the fluid as the slide valve moves from a completely open position with maximum flow rate to a closed position, which stops the circulation of the fluid through the said body.
The valve also has a compact shape forming a true module that can be replaced easily in case of any incident. Thus, according to the invention, the control means of the slide valve consist of a reduction gear located in a cap, itself attached to the top of the body, which cap also contains the control system of the said reduction gear, the limit switches of the said slide valve, the heating control system of the body and, possibly, the water pressure measuring means in the intake channel and in the outlet channel, whereas the systems are gathered on a wafer in the form of an integrated circuit, which wafer also comprises the limit switch system placed opposite to a control finger integral with the said slide valve, and the body comprises a connector and a tight grommet orifice.
According to another arrangement of the invention, the intake and/or through orifices comprise a double cylindrical bore, one of which, situated inwardly, provides the necessary tightness with the associated part or element, and the other, situated at the intake, enables to fasten the latter by means of a transversal keying system, which system comprises keys such as needles, that are diametrically opposite, guided through orifices of the body opening into the intake bore, which needles co-operate with a circular groove provided in the accessory part and in particular on the periphery of a cylindrical section inserted into the intake bore of the valve body.
Still according to the invention, the keys are connected together, forming a kind of U that is fixed to the body by any appropriate means and preferably by a screw serving simultaneously as a blocking member of the accessory part in relation to the valve body.
Still according to the invention, the accessories liable to be associated with the valve body may consist of a junction and assembly socket of two bodies ensuring communication of the supply channel of each of them, or even consist of a plug socket blanking off one of the orifices of the supply channel or still separating two bodies, whereas one of them can be used for water supply while the other is used for air supply of the spray device.
Still according to the invention, the accessories may also consist of connectors for the water and air supply pipes, which connectors would simply be in the form of sockets, T, elbows, etc.